What does Philippians 1:19 Mean?

Study Notes

this shall turn , Job 13:16 .
salvation .

salvation

The Heb. and (Greek - ἀλεκτοροφωνία , safety, preservation, healing, and soundness). Salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes: as justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification. Salvation is in three tenses:

(1) The believer has been saved from the guilt and penalty of sin Luke 7:50 ; 1 Corinthians 1:18 ; 2 Corinthians 2:15 ; Ephesians 2:5 ; Ephesians 2:8 ; 2 Timothy 1:9 and is safe.

(2) the believer is being saved from the habit and dominion of sin Romans 6:14 ; Philippians 1:19 ; Philippians 2:12 ; Philippians 2:13 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:13 ; Romans 8:2 ; Galatians 2:19 ; Galatians 2:20 ; 2 Corinthians 3:18 .

(3) The believer is to be saved in the sense of entire conformity to Christ. Romans 13:11 ; Hebrews 10:36 ; 1 Peter 1:5 ; 1 John 3:2 . Salvation is by grace through faith, is a free gift, and wholly without works; Romans 3:27 ; Romans 3:28 ; Romans 4:1-8 ; Romans 6:23 ; Ephesians 2:8 . The divine order is: first salvation, then works; Ephesians 2:9 ; Ephesians 2:10 ; Titus 3:5-8 .

Verse Meaning

The antecedent of "this" is probably the things that had happened to Paul to which he had just been referring in Philippians 1:12-18. [source][source]

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What deliverance did he have in mind, physical deliverance from imprisonment or some spiritual deliverance? Later in this epistle Paul said he anticipated release from prison ( Philippians 1:25; Philippians 2:24). However the verses that follow this one ( Philippians 1:19) point to his thinking of the completion of salvation that he had referred to previously ( Philippians 1:6). Earlier he had spoken of the completion of the Philippians" salvation. Here he spoke of the end of his own (cf. Job 13:16; Job 13:18). The Greek word translated "deliverance" is soteria, the standard rendering of which is "salvation." Probably Paul meant that his prison experiences and the consequent furtherance of the gospel were all part of God"s completion of the good work that He had begun in him. [source][source]

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Two means were necessary for this salvation to reach fulfillment. Paul was counting on the prayers of the Philippians and the Lord"s provision of enablement through His Spirit. Does this mean that if the Philippians failed to pray for Paul God"s work in him would suffer? Yes, but the salvation in view is progressive sanctification, not glorification. God and people work together in the process of sanctification, but glorification is God"s work alone. [source][source]

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By the provision of the Spirit Paul evidently meant the provision of grace that comes through the Spirit. God does not give His Spirit in measure (i.e, some now and more later, John 3:34). Obviously there is a vital connection between prayer and the Spirit"s enablement. Paul referred to the Spirit as the Spirit of Jesus Christ here. Perhaps he did so because he had been thinking of Jesus Christ as the One before whom we will all appear when our sanctification is complete ( Philippians 1:6; Philippians 1:10). [source][source]

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Context Summary

It was a matter of comparative indifference to Paul what happened to himself so long as the gospel progressed, because the extension of the gospel meant the growing glory of Jesus. He was quite content to be in bonds, if only by his chains he might gain access to new realms, hitherto untrodden, for proclaiming his Lord. He could even view with equanimity the envy and strife of some, if Jesus might be named to those who had never heard of Him, He was prepared to live or to die, that Jesus might be magnified. He was willing to remain for a little longer outside of heaven, if that would better serve the cause he loved. His main argument for consistency of life on the part of his converts was that the success of the gospel might not be impeded. It seemed good to suffer, if only it were on the behalf of Christ. Oh that we might experience a similar absorption in the great interests of the gospel!

It is clear from this paragraph that death is not an unconscious sleep. It is gain. It is a loosing from anchorage so that the soul may go forth on the broad ocean of God's love. It does not interrupt our conscious fellowship with the Lord. The moment of absence here is the moment of presence there. To die is therefore gain. [source]

Chapter Summary: Philippians 1

¹  Paul testifies his thankfulness to God, and his love toward the Philippians,
⁹  daily praying for their increase in grace;
¹²  he shows what good the faith of Christ had received by his troubles at Rome;
²¹  and how ready he is to glorify Christ either by his life or death;
²⁷  exhorting them to unity;
²⁸  and to fortitude in persecution